


slow night

by litnerdhood



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 02:05:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14125767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/litnerdhood/pseuds/litnerdhood
Summary: A small moment in teenage rebellion. Or something.





	slow night

**Author's Note:**

> no beta reader we die like mne, sorry for all the grammatical mistakes, i was lazy to ask when i know past tense is a death of me

  
Jason blinked in surprise, seeing Bruce sitting at the table and eating breakfast. He couldn't have slept more than four hours, knowing it was three in the morning when Bruce's steps echoed on the silent floor.

Jason has been lying on his stomach last night, with a flashlight in his hand, blanket over his head as he buried himself in the never ending sentences of the book, only jerking out of it when the familiar steps approached. Jason has turned off the lights, head on the pillow, pretending he was sleeping, the usual routine he has perfected in the past years.

“The apocalypse is near,” Jason whispered, taking a seat next to Bruce. “Is Gotham in danger?”

“Master Jason, don't antagonize Master Bruce so early in the morning.”

“He's The Greatest Detective, Alfred, he needs to be on the top even at seven in the morning.”

“Business, out of country,” Bruce answered the question, lips twitching in the smallest way. Jason truly deserved more for almost making Bruce smile.

“Boring business talk with old people, got it.”

“It's not that bad.”

“Yeah, sure, that's why you texted me for the whole meeting more than one time.”

“Master Bruce.”

“It wasn't important meeting, Alfred.”

Alfred gave another disappointed look and Jason smothered his grin, seeing Bruce slightly shrunk into himself which most eyes wouldn't notice but he's lived with Bruce long enough to know the difference. Alfred's opinion mattered more than anyone's.

“Lies,” Jason whispered in the silence.

“I'll be back by tomorrow night,” Bruce said like he hadn't heard what Jason had said. Bruce gave Jason a look. "Don't go out looking for trouble."

"I won't," he answered as calmly as he could, hiding his excitement at the chance of patrolling alone without Bruce watching Jason's every step.

While Jason has understood Bruce's need to protect him from harm, it grated on his nerves that Batman never let him work alone.

This weekend seemed the perfect opportunity to spreads his wings.

And going on patrol didn't mean looking for trouble when he is just gonna make sure that people were being safe without Batman's presence in the city, right?

Just a few hours of strolling around the city without Batman's introspection.

Maybe he could take the Batmobile for a drive, Bruce had given him a crash course on driving, he could use that knowledge to navigate around the city.

Jason restrained himself, trying to downplay his excitement. He only had to eat so Bruce wouldn’t notice what he was planning.

Bruce stopped behind him, ruffling his hair. “Don’t get into trouble.”

“You’ve said that before.” Jason rolled his eyes, swatting Bruce’s hands away. “And you’re telling me you aren’t getting old. Next time you’ll be looking for your phone and it will be in your pocket.”

Bruce’s lips twitched.

“You’ll be here to remind me where I did put them, I’m not worried.”

Jason grinned.

“I’m always here to remind you, you’re getting old, old man.”

“My hero,” Bruce said with a deadpanned voice but he gave a small smile to Jason before leaving for his business trip, for once without Alfred driving him to the airport.

Jason fought down his giddiness as he finished his breakfast, plate in his hand, he handed it to Alfred and stayed to help. The first times Alfred rejected his help, saying he could do better with his time but Jason was prepared for the resistance and with a corny comeback ‘There’s nothing better in this house than your company, Alfred.’, Alfred handed him the plates to dry with a dish-towel.

This day was going to be awesome and Jason wouldn't let anything to stop him.

Jason had finished his homework, pestered Alfred who stand his place and didn’t get annoyed at him for asking hundreds of questions about the food he was making.

Jason didn’t change his mind about going out alone but sneaking around Alfred needed a touch of smart to avoid him. His sixth sense was terrifying, always knowing where Jason was and finding him.

The night settled over the city and it only took him a half hour to pretend he was going to sleep, saying he wanted to be up early to do some light training.

Lying to Alfred hadn’t been easy, the guilt was eating him inside but it was easier to beg for forgiveness later than ask permission.

Bruce hadn’t said to not to patrol only to not to get into trouble.

He was master at avoiding trouble.

Scratch that. Alfred would give him a look, showing his disagreement with his statement. Whatever.

With his uniform on, he walked to the Batmobile opening the door with the device from Batman’s utility belt.

Wetting his lips, he grins as he starts the car.

He was halfway over Crime Alley when Alfred calls him on the comm.

“Master Robin, I hope for your sake you aren't driving the batmobile.”

“I'm not driving, the car is operating itself.”

Robin could feel the disapproval across the line but it didn't deter him from the purpose of his night alone.

“Come on, Alfie,” Jason whines. “I've been Robin for almost six months and B hasn't let me patrol alone.”

Alfred's silence cut him deeper than the thugs’ knives.

“B didn't tell me to skip patrol only that I should stay out of trouble.”

“Master Batman certainly did not mean that you are allowed to patrol alone.”

“Next time he should tell me clearly what he means instead of expecting me to guess.”

“Master Robin,” Alfred said, displeasure seeping into his tone.

Jason pouted, glowering at the communicator but the guilt for misguiding Alfred was stronger than his need for a night working alone.

“I'm sorry, Al,” Jason mumbled.

“Please refer from another reckless act tonight, Master Robin.”

“Like patrolling alone?”

Alfred sighed. “Precisely, Master Robin. Am I right to suspect, you are staying out and I can't convince you?”

Jason grinned. “You're a mind reader, Penny-one.”

“You are going to report in every half hour and you will back by ten.”

“I can take care of myself,” he whined as the Batmobile stopped.

“Or you can face your father alone when he realizes you have gone to patrol alone.”

“That's just unnecessarily mean, Alfred."

“As a good punishment should be.”

* * *

 

The night ended with Jason driving the Batmobile and almost crashing it into the river and a wall while chasing the bad guys.

Bruce was going to kill him if he noticed any scratches on his car. Scratch that, he was going to kill him when he realized Jason has been out alone without permission.

He groaned, seeing his miserable fate for the next weeks but it worthed it. Jason had had fun alone, he caught the bad guys alone without any help and he can't but grin satisfied as he takes his way home.

He’d dealt with Alfred's disappointed gaze as usual. With crushing guilt and promising himself he would never make Alfred look at him like that.

He dropped into his bed exhausted and he was asleep within minutes.

* * *

Bruce was sitting at the table for breakfast with the newspaper in his hands when Jason has come down. It didn't take long for Alfred to give Jason a meaningful glance which he decided to ignore.

"Were you out last night Jason?"

"You said I shouldn't go out." Jason's forehead ceased like he's deep in thought, like even the thought of doing the opposite what Bruce has said insulting the core of his soul.

"The Batmobile is scratched up."

"Did something break into the cave?" Jason asked, pretending to be worried. "You should have better security."

"Jason."

"Or maybe the bats did it, you should train them to respect your property."

He'd felt Bruce's eyes on his face but he's continued eating innocently.

"You're lying."

Jason looked at him with a disappointed expression.

"I can't help you if you don't believe me, your own son," he stressed the word, ready to guilt trip Bruce into his innocence. He shakes his head regretfully. Bruce had been cagey with him for a long time but he couldn't be blamed for having fun alone on the streets. "You're being paranoid, Bruce."

"It's not paranoia if it's true," Bruce said amused.

"Prove it then," he said, shrugging carelessly. "You've cameras in the cave right?"

"I've already looked at them."

"You're a workaholic." He pointed his fork at him judgingly.

"The tape from yesterday has been erased."

"Huh, that's just plain weird," Jason answered, narrowing his eyes, hiding his grin. "How was your trip?"

Bruce gave him an unimpressed look at the direction of their conversation took but Jason was too giddy to really care. He'd done his best to hide any evidence of his departure for the night.

He sneaked a look at Alfred who didn't seem to be in a betrayal mood so he might survive this experience without getting his library privilege revoked.

Bruce's tired gaze hasn't left him but he didn't say anything, sipping his coffee with doubt written across his face.

Jason could deal with that.

 


End file.
